Improvement in fme-plugs



Patented May 30,1871.

sfrafrns J1 rrlrcn.

.Ioiiiv` MCGLELLAND, `or wAsHINcToN, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-PLUGS.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 115,495, dated May 30, 1871.

To all whom it mag/concern;

i i Be it known that I, JoIIIv` McCLELLnIvD,

of the city of Washington. `District of GolnrnA i ibia, have invented a certain new and useful y Fire-Plug. f i. f

My invention consistspiina novel method of longitudinally operating and holding the feedrod or valve-stem, a novel arrangement of valve-stem guides, and also in a novelautoi matic waste-watervalve and I do hereby declare that thefollowing` specification, taken in connection with thedrawing furnished and forming part of the same, is a true, clear, and

exact description thereof. Referring to the drawing, Figure 1 represents in perspective astack of my improved tire-plugs. Fig. 2 represents the same in crossvertical section. i. Fig. 3` represents the main valves as viewed from below. Fig. 4 represents a plan of the operatingfcams.

A is the supply-chamber, connected with the water-main, and may-'be ,provided with f suitable strainers or not,`as maybe deemed necessary. `B is afcommon base-plate, formling the cap to the siIppIychaniber, on which my lire-plug is mountedm` O is the barrel Vof the hydrant, attached to the base-plate, and extending'upward to any required height. At its lower end its interioris coincident with an opening in the `base-plate of correspondingdiameter.` Near its upper end is `the deliveryi port c'. Its cap b may be made in a variety' `ot modes, either solid or separate, and connected by a screw-thread in a well-known manner. D isthe main valve. Itis circular in form, andisiitted to: a seat in the under side of the base-plate. i E is the feed-rod or valve-stem. It passes throughthe valve D,

and may either berigidlyfastened thereto, or,

while vertically secured, the valve may be free tov revolve on the stem. Its lower end isprovided with a guide, d, projecting from a hanger, F, located in the center of` the under side ofthe baseplate,. and projecting downward into" the supply-chamberfA. The Upper end of 'the feed-rod extends above and through the cap at b', and maybe surrounded or not by a stuffing-box. Gr` is the operating-cam cylinder. It is secured to thetop of the cap b, and rises vertically to the height of the upper end of the valve-rod whenjthe `nnainvalve is closed. Gut through the wall of this cylinderis-a camslot, e, which extends from a point `near the top of the cylinder diagonally or spirally to a `point nea-r its base. rllhe true vertical distance traversed by this slot is equal to the required vertical movement ofthe valve audits rcd,while its spiral length may be varied to suit require ments.v At both top andv bottom the inclined groove e merges into the holding-cam slots f and f,'which extend but a short distance in opposite directions, and which may be either horizontal o r slightly inclined, the upper slot inclinin g slightly upward from the upper end of the camslot e, while the .lower inclines slightly downward, and terminates in a slightly upward-curved end. 0n the opposite side of this cylinder are cam-slots corresponding withv those already described. The upper holding-slot f can be dispensed with if there is a great pressure of water to hold the valve to itsseat when once closed. In such case the cam-slot e may be made with straight sides, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig.4. H is a radial operating-lever, which is attached to the valve-rod ata point near its upper end.

The long end of this lever extends from the rod outward, passing through the cam-slot c. A stud, t', of equal diameter to that part of the handle which is adjacent to the caxnslot e, eX- f tends from the valve-rod on the opposite side into the corresponding opposite earn-slot already referred to. pair of circular nuts, an, fitted to fill the interior of the cam-cylinder, is screwed upon the upper end of the valverod, and serves a double purpose, not only connecting the handle and valve-stern, but, by their peripheral contact with the interior of the cam-cylinder at m', they perform the function of an additional longitudinal guide for the valve-rod.

It will be readily obvious that the main valve will be opened and closed by the nuove-v ment of the lever H, operating 'as a cam-stud inthe slot e; and that the upperslot f, from its form, will hold the lever firmly vertically, and thus keep the main valve to its seat; and that the lower slot f will also hold the lever firmly vertically while the main valve is open.

Should it be deemed desirable, a wheel may be keyed to the projecting upper end of the valve-rod. `In such case, however, it will be essential to have a stud projecting through the slot from the rod in -place of the lever H.

2 I 1ra-ros Such a chau ge would amount simply to a transfer of a portion of the lever H from the position it now occupies to the upper end of the valve-rod. lThe lever is deemed preferable because it is simpler and affords a greater purchase.

From the fact that the valve is opened by a rapid longitudinal movement of the valve-rod, it is very essential that a perfect system of longitudinal guides be provided to steady it during such movement, and also that these guides be so located and arranged that they will obstruct the water-way as little as possible. Therefore I have provided a guide-stand below the base-plate, having a hanger, F, common to the several radial arms or guides d.

It will be observed when the valves are open that these guides present little or no obstruction to the water-way. The movement ofthe operatin g-lever and valve-rod at the upper end being also rapid and extensive, and the rod being subject to a twisting force, it is desirable that a perfect guide should also be provided at that end. In the opening in the cap ofthe hydrant at b', and in the contact of the nut at m with the interior ofthe cam-cylinder, a ydouble-guide is formed, by which the rod is always maintained in a truly vertical position.

\`Vhen two or more of my hydrants are combined in a single stack, they may be inclosed in a casingbof iron, wood, or masonry, as may be desired. In the stacks the several operative levers, when the valves are closed, will not occupy any greater radial space than is occupied by the several hydrants, and may be readily covered by a hinged cap.

I will now describe the means I have devised for freeing the hydrant of waste water after the main valve has been closed. I is my improved automatic waste-water valve. It is a weighted vertical valve, attached by a looseworking hin ge-joint to the interior wall of the hydrant, slightly above its base, and adjacent to discharge aperture o, through which the waste water flows. 'Ihe weighted flap n ot' the valve extends upward from the hingejoint, and an arm, p, extends downward. When no force-as of upward-flowing wateris exercised against the ap, its own weight causes it to fall inward, and leave the column of water free to ilow through the opening o. As soon as the main valve is opened the force of the water closes it until the water is cut oil'. The mere weight of the valve must, of course, be suficient to overcome the weight of the column of water or the expansive force which the water will exercise against the base of the hydra-nt. When the weighted ilap falls it is prevented from falling too far by the arm p coming in contact with the adjacent wall. The relative positions of the valve when open and closed are exhibited in the drawing.

In setting my plugs an open space maybe constructed opposite the aperture o or not, as may be desired. The small quantity of water discharged through the valve would readily be absorbed in the surrounding earth.

Experience has demonstrated that fire-plugs should be strong and simple in their structure, not liable to get out of order by rough or careless handiing, easily and rapidly operated, not liable to freeze up, and should have a free and unobstructed water-way. I have, in my improved re-plug, combined all of these several desiderata; and it can he made at a low cost compared with other fire-plugs of its class with which I am acquainted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new und desire to secure by Letters Iatentl. The combination of the cam-cylinder G, provided with the cam-slots e andj", the operating-lever H, and the valve-rod E, substantially as shown and described.

2. The guides d and b m', located, respectively, below the main valve and above thc delivery-port of the hydrant, in combination with the valve-stem and its Operating device, substantially as shown and described.

3. The waste-water valve I, consisting of the weighted ap n and arm p, hinged to the interior wall of the hydrant near its base and adjacent to a suitable delivery-port, substantially as described.

4. Incombination with a stack of hydrants operated by axial valve-rods, and supplied from a common chamber, the hanger F, and the radial guides d, substantially`as shown and described.

JOHN MCCLELLAND.

Witnesses:

WM. G. Woon, PHIL. F. LARNEB. 

